Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Stevens Pass, Washington 98288
Saturday, February 13, 1988 19:30 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

PLANNED FLT WAS VFR TRANSIT OF CASCADE MOUNTAINS IN DAYLIGHT. PLT FILED VFR FLT PLAN; WX BRIEF INDICATED VFR. UNFORESEEN DELAYS RESULTED IN ARRIVAL AT PLANNED MOUNTAIN PASS OVER ONE HOUR LATE AND WX NO LONGER VMC. PLT COULD SEE ALTERNATE PASS TO NORTH APPEARED BETTER AND AMENDED FLT PLAN VIA STEVENS PASS DESPITE FSS ADVISORY OF VNR UNDER CLOUDS THROUGH CASCADES. FLT ARRIVED AT STEVENS PASS AFTER DARK; HOWEVER, LIGHTS FOR NIGHT SKIING ILLUMINATED PASS AND FLT PROCEEDED. AFTER BEGINNING DESCENT ALONG HIGHWAY AFTER PASS TRANSIT, PLT SAID HE ENCOUNTERED IMC AND LOST VISUAL REFERENCE WITH KNOWN HIGH TERRAIN ON BOTH SIDES. PLT INITIATED CLIMB BUT MUSHED INTO TREES ON RISING TERRAIN AHEAD.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/13/1988
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1930
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City STEVENS PASS
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 98288
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 6
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -4
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 39
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 14 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 35359
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6642E
NTSB Number SEA88LA047
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 175
Aircraft Series Identifier 175
Aircraft Serial Number 56142
Certified Max Gross Weight 2350
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 2040
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BRUCE W FAIRCHILD
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2221 232ND SE
Aircraft Owner City BOTHELL
Aircraft Owner State WA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 98201
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name BRUCE W. FAIRCHILD
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 2221 232ND SE
Operator City BOTHELL
Operator State WA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 98201
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code YAK
Departure City YAKIMA
Departure State WA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1800
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code S43
Destination City SNOHOMISH
Destination State WA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Climb
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --